Life Some time ago, after numerous false starts, I began to only engage in things which interest me rather than something which could interest me. I was becoming overwhelmed (and this was pre-anxiety!) and setting rules, actually choosing interests has helped me to direct myself into particular areas. To an extent this has isolated me somewhat but in a lot of ways, I'm more fulfilled, have wider horizons. It's a paradox.

"So, why am I doing this? I spoke to clinical psychologist Dr. Jon Belford about the possible reasons behind my urge to say yes to things even when they aren't serving me personally. “There are a number of factors that can contribute to difficulty prioritizing one's own needs. It often can be tied to underlying feelings about one's sense of self worth or irrational, unconscious beliefs about the nature of relationships," he says. "Behaviors such as overcommitting to plans or feeling a need to be constantly available may be tied to a distorted, irrational worry about abandonment.”

I can especially relate to routines. Routines are good. Routines are comforting. Except when they're disrupted. Oh.